Illinois Ventures
VC Fund
Chicago, United States
Illinois Ventures is a seed and early-stage technology investment firm focused on research-derived companies in information technologies, physical sciences and life sciences, with a particular emphasis on those deriving from research conducted at the University of Illinois and other regional research institutions and federal laboratories.Current investments reflect targeted practice areas in energy, device physics, advanced materials, biotechnology, medical devices and instrumentation, homeland security, and software.Illinois Ventures works with inventors & entrepreneurs to mold concepts, vision, intellectual property, sweat and passion into breakthrough, high-growth companies, and was recently named by Entrepreneur magazine to its list of the top 100 venture capital firms nationally for entrepreneurs.
- Total investments:
- 67
- Last investment:
- Lead investor:
- 6%
- Fund size:
- $15M
- Last fund:
Last updated:
For AI agents: llms.txt
Industries Illinois Ventures invests in
Stages Illinois Ventures invests in
Countries Illinois Ventures invests in
Round sizes
Contacts
| Name | Phone | Socials | |
|---|---|---|---|
| See all 7 contacts → | |||
Round size
- Seed
- $250k–$4.9M
- Series A
- $1M–$8.7M
Investment Focus
Industry
- Software 12 (18%)
- Biotechnology 12 (18%)
- Health Care 9 (13%)
- Analytics 5 (7%)
- Health Diagnostics 5 (7%)
Stage
- Seed 17 (25%)
- Series A 15 (22%)
- Funding Round 8 (12%)
- Series B 7 (10%)
- Pre-Seed 5 (7%)
Team
| Name | Title | Investments | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bridget Gallagher
Assistant Director, Marketing and Project Management
|
Assistant Director, Marketing and Project Management | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
Christopher Valera
Business Administrative Associate
|
Business Administrative Associate | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
Nancy M. Harvey
Senior Director, Principal
|
Senior Director, Principal | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
Nancy Sullivan
CEO & Managing Director
|
CEO & Managing Director | Total investments: 2 | Find email | |
Patrick Casey
Senior Associate
|
Senior Associate | Total investments: 0 | Find email | |
| See all 7 team members → | ||||
Investments
| Company | Description | Round | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photon Queue's focus on efficient all-optical quantum memories is crucial for advancing quantum technology. Photon Queue enhances the performance and scalability of quantum systems. | $4M / Seed / Jul 21, 2026 | ||
SyntaxBio
|
SyntaxBio develops CRISPR/Cas9-based, genetic programming platform that converts cells into biological computers using DNA-based instructions that read like lines of code. SyntaxBio's platform can program cells without the need for consistent external intervention. | $14.4M / Series A / Jun 21, 2026 | |
| Excelsior Sciences develops a chemistry and AI platform for discovering and manufacturing small-molecule compounds. It uses a proprietary “smart bloccs” system, which consists of modular, machine-ready chemical building blocks, to convert small-molecule innovation into an iterative, automation-friendly workflow. Through this platform, Excelsiorenables closed-loop cycles of AI-guided synthesis, testing, and optimisation that link early-stage discovery to scalable manufacturing. The company supports projects across pharmaceuticals, materials science, and other sectors that rely on small molecules. Excelsior also maintains an internal pipeline of therapeutic candidates while working with partners to deploy its chemistry platform broadly. | $70M / Series A / Dec 03, 2025 | ||
| The AI Implementation Gap:AI is everywhere - ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Azure AI, Deepseek - yet most enterprises are still bogged down with manual processes and inefficiencies. Why? These tools lack the orchestration layer needed to embed AI seamlessly into business operations. Without workflow automation, real-time data connectivity, and intuitiveinterfaces, companies are forced to stitch together incomplete solutions. The result? Fragmented systems, costly delays, and AI initiatives that fail to move the needle.Pathlit - The AI Command Hub:Pathlit isn’t just another AI tool - it’s the infrastructure that makes AI work for your business. Imagine an intelligent network of AI-powered assistants: one for financial modeling, another for operational automation, another for data analysis - all connected through a single, unified platform. Pathlit integrates 100+ enterprise tools (Slack, Google Drive, HubSpot) with additional integrations delivered in 48 hours. Trusted by a Big 4 firm, top PE and VC firms, and leading enterprises, Pathlit transforms AI from an experiment into a competitive advantage.What Sets Pathlit Apart?● AI Agents That Work - Automate repetitive tasks, adapt to complex workflows, and enhance team efficiency.● Seamless Ecosystem - Connect every tool your business relies on into a fully integrated, frustration-free system.● Data-Driven Insights - Extract actionable intelligence from unstructured data, no special code required.● Enterprise-Grade Security & Scalability - SOC 2 Type 2 certified, with on-premise options for high-trust environments.Beyond Tools - Modern Assembly Lines for the Dynamic Enterprise:OpenAI is a model provider. Azure is a cloud infrastructure provider. Pathlit is the automation backbone provider that transforms manual workflows into fast, automated assembly lines - requiring minimal oversight. We replace complexity with seamless AI integration, turning manual processes into intelligent, scalable systems. With rapid workflow automation and real-time data insights, AI isn’t just an add-on - it’s the foundation of a more efficient enterprise.Turn AI Into Your Competitive Advantage:Pathlit eliminates the guesswork of AI adoption. We provide strategy, integration, and execution in one platform - so your team can focus on growth, not tech troubleshooting.Ready to move beyond AI experimentation and start driving real impact? Let’s get started. | $1M / Pre-Seed / Mar 17, 2025 | ||
| Elion Therapeutics is a cutting-edge biotechnology business focused on treating life-threatening IFIs. Elion was built on the notion that mechanistic insights allow for focused optimization of natural goods. | $81M / Series B / Jun 17, 2024 | ||
| Improving the energy efficiency of commercial real estate. | $355K / Pre-Seed / Apr 18, 2024 | ||
| Cadenza Bio accelerates and supports the development of a new class of highly selective Estrogen Receptor targeted small molecules. We are committed to developing therapeutic medications that will improve the lives of patients suffering from terrible diseases. | $2.4M / Seed / Dec 14, 2023 | ||
| Leveraging cutting-edge bioengineering to solve America's hundred-billion-pound organic waste problem. | $120K / Angel / Aug 15, 2023 | ||
| Natrion is a developer of large-scale batteries used to generate efficient renewable energy. Its batteries are ceramic solid-electrolyte and source energy from solar and wind to manage power deployment for renewable energy storage that enable businesses to make solar power cost-effective for homes, farms, and the military.It was founded in 2018and is headquartered in Binghamton, New York. | $1.8M / Seed / May 25, 2022 | ||
| Ascent is building human performance technology to augment operators in hazardous environments with actionable insights that improve safety and productivity. | $1.2M / Seed / Jan 31, 2022 | ||
| See all 67 investments → | |||
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FAQ
What does Illinois Ventures invest in?
Illinois Ventures invests primarily in Software, Biotechnology and Health Care startups, most often at Seed and Series A stage. Most of the 67 investments tracked by Shizune back companies in United States. The Investment Focus section breaks down every industry, stage and country in the portfolio.
What is Illinois Ventures's check size?
Illinois Ventures typically joins rounds of $250k–$4.9M at Seed and $1M–$8.7M at Series A. These ranges are 10th–90th percentile round sizes calculated from confirmed public funding rounds, so they are a realistic guide to the rounds Illinois Ventures participates in.
How do I contact Illinois Ventures?
Public channels for Illinois Ventures include LinkedIn and the website linked on this profile. For a verified work email and phone number, create a free Shizune account — contact data is searched across 20+ sources and validated before delivery, so your outreach lands in the right inbox.
Who are the partners at Illinois Ventures?
The team at Illinois Ventures includes Bridget Gallagher (Assistant Director, Marketing and Project Management), Christopher Valera (Business Administrative Associate) and Nancy M. Harvey (Senior Director, Principal), among 7 team members tracked by Shizune. The Team section lists each member with their title, investment count and links.
Is Shizune's investor data accurate?
Yes — every stat on this profile is calculated from confirmed public funding rounds monitored across hundreds of sources since 2020. This profile was last refreshed in Aug 2026 and is updated monthly. Spotted something off? Use the “Suggest an edit” link near the top of the page.
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